Heat resistant food serving glove

ABSTRACT

A heat resistant glove for use in the food service industry, that facilitates handling of hot serving trays, utensils, and similar food serving equipment with dexterity and nimbleness while presenting an attractive appearance to those being served. An under side portion of tightly woven and heat resistant fabric such as Keviar protects the server from discomfort while handling food trays. A top side portion of natural fabric, polyester, or other open weave fabric presents the appearance of light-weight serving gloves commonly worn by food servers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to heat resistant gloves, and more specifically to heat resistant gloves for use during food preparation and serving in the hospitality industry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Food handlers and servers in the hospitality industry are required to grasp and carry a large number of food serving items such as dishware, flatware, and stemware for individual diners. They also routinely carry specially designed serving pans and receptacles such as hot plates, coffee urns and those containers inserted into steam and warming tables that store larger portions of food at the proper temperature during a banquet, event, or sitting. In many cases, dishware is served at a temperature that can burn the hands of the server or preparer, as such dishware is stored on or near heat producing equipment (i.e., grills, ranges, and steam tables), placed within a cooking device such as a broiler when the food item is being cooked, or placed into service immediately after exiting the 180 degree F. rinse cycle of a dishwasher. In fact, the dishware may be heated to such a high temperature that some food servers warn diners not to touch the dishware upon serving. It thus becomes necessary for food handlers and servers to find a means by which dishware and other food serving receptacles can be grasped, handled, and transported without burning the hands of the food handler and server while also satisfying proper sanitary conditions and requirements. In current practice, food handlers and servers rely upon makeshift forms of heat protection and sanitary measures that include, but are not limited to, service towels, napkins, and cloth gloves in which direct contact between the server or preparer and dishware or receptacle is prevented. However, use of these items is irregular and haphazard. A towel or napkin may be easily dropped or misplaced, and a cloth glove may provide inadequate heat protection. Furthermore, the use of a towel or napkin folded over the edge of a plate or tied to the cover of a hot chafing dish presents less than a professional appearance and may actually make contact with food items over successive servings during an event.

[0003] The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of using service towels, napkins, and other items to handle and serve dishware and other food receptacles without risking the possibility of being burned or engaging in unsanitary conditions. It is an easy-to-use, low cost, and versatile heat-resistant food serving glove. Such a glove incorporates a heat resistant portion and a portion resembling that of conventional white serving gloves. The glove can be constructed to a fitted size or one size fits all. In addition, the advantages of reducing or eliminating the use of service napkins will decrease the time and cost of preparing and serving food.

[0004] Numerous designs for heat resistant gloves have been provided in the prior art. Even though these designs may be suitable for the specific individual purposes which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention in serving food. For instance, many heat resistant gloves in the prior art are intended for use in manufacturing and factory work, such as steel making and foundry work. Others are specifically adapted for firefighting. They are necessarily constructed to be especially tough and durable, and they would not function efficiently in a food serving hospitality capacity where it is frequently necessary to grasp individual utensils in a dexterous manner. Neither would they present a pleasing appearance to diners. Such designs are exemplified by Tschirch et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,611, Rinehart U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,003; Chan U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,806; and Andrews et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,582.

[0005] As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to develop heat resisting gloves for a variety of trade and commercial use. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved heat resistant glove designed primarily for food preparation and serving use in the hospitality industry. The present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides a heat resistant glove that substantially fulfills this need. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed herein.

[0006] The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, relates to the field of heat resistant gloves. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with heat resistant gloves for use during food preparation and serving in the hospitality industry. The present invention overcomes all of the shortcomings listed previously, in addition to novel aspects that will be described in detail hereinafter.

[0008] Described briefly, according to a typical embodiment, the invention presents a heat resistant food serving hand glove having fingerstalls, thumbstall, and a wrist cuff. The glove is thus constructed to enclose the front and back portion of a hand from the fingertips to the wrist and is thus comprised of an under side portion covering the palm and a top side portion covering the back of the hand. The under side portion is comprised of flexible heat resistant material, such as a temperature resistant polyamide fiber. The top side portion consists of white cotton, polyester, or other suitable comfortable open weave fabric. The under side and top portions are joined in mirror arrangement by stitching or other suitable means.

[0009] The present invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed. It is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified.

[0010] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood and the present contribution to the art more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent methods and structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0011] In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0012] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention.

[0013] Further, the purpose of the foregoing summary is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The summary is neither intended to define the invention of the application nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

[0014] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a low-cost, easy-to-manufacture, and easy-to-market heat resistant food serving glove.

[0015] A further object of the invention is to provide an easy-to-use and versatile heat resistant food serving glove.

[0016] It is also an object of the invention to provide a heat resistant food serving glove that is attractive in appearance so as to be compatible in a public food preparing and serving function and that is constructed in a manner that allows the wearer to function with the dexterity and nimbleness required to grasp, hold and otherwise manipulate dishware, various utensils, and food serving and holding receptacles.

[0017] A still further object is to provide a heat resistant food serving glove that is comprised of an under side portion of heat resistant material and a top side of white or light colored open weave material, such as cotton and the like.

[0018] A heat resistant glove having these and other advantages comprises an under side portion of heat resistant material and a top side portion of heat transmissive material. The under side portion will be secured in mirror arrangement to enclose a wearer's hand.

[0019] For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. The forgoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the present invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0020] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more fully understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.

[0021]FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the top side of a heat resistant glove; and

[0022]FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the under side of a heat resistant glove.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0023] Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a typical embodiment of the heat resistant food serving glove 10. Glove 10 is constructed of a top side portion 12 and an under side portion 14 that are attached in mirror arrangement by suitable means such as stitching, adhesion, and the like. The glove 10 completely encloses a hand (i.e., fingers, thumb, palm, back of hand) in an area extending from the furthest fingertip to the wrist and from the thumb to the furthest opposing finger. The glove is thus formed with a wrist cuff 16, four fingerstalls 18, 20, 22, 24, and a thumbstall 26. The tops side portion 12, which covers the back of a hand and is substantially visible during intended use of the glove 10, is comprised of an attractive, white or light colored, open weave material that is suitably comfortable, such as cotton or polyester and that readily transmits heated or cooled air in order to facilitate an air or heat transfer from the back of the hand to the ambient surroundings. The under side portion 14 covers the palm side of the hand and extends for a distance around the fingers so that a portion of the under side portion material is visible on the fingerstalls 18, 20, 22, 24 and thumbstall 26 when the glove 10 is positioned with the top side portion 12 facing up. This feature provides the fingers and thumb with additional protection against heated surfaces should the fingers or thumb partially rotate upon a heated surface.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 2, the under side portion 14 of the glove 10 is comprised of a fabric of temperature resistant aromatic polyamide fiber, otherwise known under the trademark name as “Kevlar”. The under side portion 14 is configured into a tight twill weave fabric of polyamide fiber in order to provide greater durability and tactile and grasping capability. It is also intended that the fabric contain a pigmenting or dye material that possesses heat reflecting qualities in order to provide better protection against radiant heat. Such hues may consist of white, yellow, silver, or other light colors.

[0025] While this embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, it is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. Only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described, and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the version of the invention are desired to be protected. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

[0026] From the foregoing, it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that an improved heat resistant food serving glove has been provided. The invention is relatively easy to manufacture, yet affords a variety of uses. While the description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the version of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the preferred embodiment thereof. The foregoing is considered as only illustrative of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat resistant glove, comprising: (a) an under side portion of heat resistant material, and (b) a top side portion of heat transmissive material, the under side portion and the top side portion being secured in mirror arrangement to enclose a wearer's hand.
 2. The glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the heat resistant material is a temperature resistant polyamide fiber.
 3. The glove as defined in claim 2, wherein the polyamide fiber is Kevlar.
 4. The glove as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a plurality of fingerstalls, a thumbstall, and a wrist cuff.
 5. The glove as defined in claim 4, wherein the under side portion extends around the fingerstalls so that a portion of the under side portion material is visible on the fingerstalls and thumbstall when the glove is positioned with the top side portion facing upwardly.
 6. The glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the heat transmissive material is an open weave fabric.
 7. The glove as defined in claim 6, wherein the fabric is cotton.
 8. The glove as defined in claim 6, wherein the fabric is polyester.
 9. The glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the top portion is substantially visible during use.
 10. The glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the under side portion and the top side portion are secured in mirror arrangement by stitching.
 11. The glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the under side portion and the top side portion are joined in mirror arrangement by adhesive.
 12. The glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the under side portion contains a heat reflecting pigment. 